Secular definition: the inspired declaration of divine will and purpose; a declaration of things to come. These definitions indicate a necessary recognition of the biblical distinction between forth-telling and fore-telling God’s message. (Numbers refer to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance).

I. The Old Testament uses several Hebrew words to describe the prophet and his message. In general, the words for "prophet" indicate the idea of speaking out what the prophet has received by divine inspiration. The OT uses several significant words:

a. nawbee' (5030)- translates prophecy, that prophecy, prophet. See 1 Samuel 3:20,

b. neb-ee (5029) - translates prophet. Same as 5030 but Chaldee. See Ezra 5:1.

c. naw-baw' (5012) - primary root to the above with the meaning "to speak or sing by inspiration in prediction or simple discourse".   See Jeremiah 29:26,27

d. naw-tif (5197) - a primary root "to ooze" or to "fall in drops" and translates the idea of gradual drops of prophecy by divine inspiration. See Micah 2:11 (Only).

e. kho-zeh (2374) - translates agreement, prophet, see that, seer, [star] gazer. See 1Chronicles 21:9

f. raw-aw (7200) - a primary root "to see" and translates many such words. See 1Samuel 9:9-19.

II. The Old Testament sets no limits of station, age or gender. Old Testament examples of Prophet reveal that God set no limits of station, age, sex; however, most were male. Some were priests as Jeremiah and Ezekial. Note the contrast with Amos 7:14.

b. Well-known examples: Nathan, 2Samuel 7:2; Isaiah, Isaiah 37:2; Jeremiah, Jeremiah 1:5.

d. All faced limitations:

1' all could speak only what they were given to speak, Deuteronomy 18:20-22.

2' some confessed ignorance of the full meaning of what they spoke, 1Peter1:10,11; Daniel 8:27; 12:8; Zechariah 4:13.

III. The New Testament definition of prophet depends upon one Greek root word and many examples.

1. New Testament Word for Prophet: prophetes (4396) is defined by Vines as a proclaimer of a divine message; among the Greeks as an interpreter of the oracles of the gods. See Matthew 21:4,11,26,46. See also (5578)for false prophet and (4398) for prophetess in Luke 2:36; Revelation2:20 and for verb form see (4395).

2. New Testament designations for Prophet refer to anointed persons, or to a Spirit-gifted person, to a church office. Examples of anointed persons in OT and NT:

a. OT Prophets, Matthew 5:12; Mark 6:15; Luke 4:27; John 8:52; Romans 11:3.

b. Prophets in general: Matthew 10:41; 21:46; Mark 6:4.

a’. John the Baptist, Matthew 11:9.

b’. Jesus Christ, Acts 7:37.

c’. Agabus and others, Acts 11:27,28.

d’. Philip's daughters,   Acts 21:9,10.

e’. Corinthian church, 1Corinthians 12 qnd 14.

f’. Simon Peter, 2Peter 3:10-12.

g’. John the Apostle, Revelation

f. Two witnesses, Revelation 11:10,18.

g. A Spirit-gifted person, Romans 12:6; 1Corinthians 13:8; 14:6,22.

h. A Church office, Ephesians 4:11.

i. Female prophets, Acts 2:17; 21:9; Luke 2:36.

3. New Testament designations clarify the power of the prophet.

a. Prophets were to be tested 1John 4:1; 1Corinthians 12:10; 14:29.

Because false prophets will arise, Matthew 7:15; 24:11; Acts 13:6; 2Peter 2:1; Ultimately THE false prophet will arise, Revelation 13:13; 19:20; 20:16.

b. Prophets will diminish, 1Corinthian 13:8,9; but the gift evidently will continues after the apostles, Ephesians 4:8,11.

c. The true prophet may fore-tell that which cannot be known by natural means or apart from the revelation of God, Matthew 26:68; 2 Peter 1:16-21.

d. The true prophet may forth-tell the will of God, past, present, and future, Revelation 10:11; 11:3.

Some Relationships between the Prophet and the Preacher

I. Both the Prophet and the Preacher Require Biblical Authority.

A. The Prophet's Authority, Deuteronomy 18:17-22. Note the number of times "Thus saith the Lord" is used.

1. The authority of Moses and Joshua, Joshua 4:14.

2. The authority of Ezekiel  Ezekiel 33:27,33.

3. The authority of Jeremiah  Jeremiah 1:9,10.

B. The Preacher's Authority,

1. The Right to Preach and minister, Matthew 28:16-20.

2. The Ability to proclaim the gospel, Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

3. The secret of power, Simon and others, Acts 5:19,20,29.

4. The authority of Paul, Acts 26:15-18; Timothy 1:11; Galatians 1:8,9.

C. The Shared authority arises from the anointing to speak God's message, Ezekial 33; 1Corinthians 9:16.

II. Both the Prophet and the Preacher Share a Holiness Objective.

A. The Holiness of God (Christ) is the goal of all godly history.

1. Prophecy demonstrates that holiness is available through Jesus Christ, the Source, John 1:45; Luke 24:44.

2. The prophets predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glory that was to follow, 1Peter 1:11.

2. Prophecy demonstrates that appeals to the future work of God through Christ promote holiness, Hebrews 11:24-26; 12:2; 2Peter 3:14; 1John 3:3.

B. The Holiness of People

1. In the Old Testament - holy nation,

2. In the New Testament - holy people.

a. Jesus' warning, Matthew 24:36ff.

b. Paul's admonitions, 1Thessalonians 5:23;2Timothy 4:1-8.

c. Simon Peter' statements, 1Peter 4:7; 2Peter 3:11-14.

d. John's declaration, 1John 3:3.

III. Both the Prophet and the Preacher Have a Comfort Objective.

A. The Old Testament Prophet

1. Had a direct command, Isaiah 40:1.

2. Had a covenant promise, See Covenants.

B. The New Testament Preacher

1. In his shared life experiences, 2Corinthians 1:3-7.

2. In his message, 2Timothy 1:3-14.

IV. The amazing fulfilled prophecies about Jesus’ first coming, Luke 24:26-48,

A.  A partial listing (See in addition Genesis 3:15; 17:19; 49:10; Numbers 24:17 Isaiah 9:7; Jeremiah 31:15; Psalm 27:12; 69:4; 69:21; 22:8; 22:18),

1. Place of birth, Micah 5:2,

2. Time of birth, Daniel 9:25,

3. Virgin birth, Isaiah 7:14,

4. Rejected by Jews, Isaiah 53:3,

5. Triumphant Entry, Zechariah 9:9,

6. Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, Zechariah 11:12,

7. Spit upon, Isaiah 50:6,

8. Crucified, Isaiah 53:12,

9. Pierced, Psalm 22:16,

10. Gamble for garments, Psalm 22:18,

11. Buried with rich, Isaiah 53:9,

12. Resurrected, Psalm 16: 10,

13. Ascended, Psalm 68:18

V. Samples of Biblical Prophecy

A. Ruin of Samaria, Micah 1:6,7

B. Ruin of Gaza and Ashkelon, Jeremiah 47:5; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:4-6,

C. Destruction of Babylon, Isaiah 13:19-21; Jeremiah 51:26,

D. Destruction of Tyre, Ezekiel 26:3-16,

E. Rise and Fall of Gentile Nations, Daniel 2:31-46; 7and 8.

VI. Three schools of prophecy

A. Postmillenialism lost credibility after two world wars because it held that the church would develop such a righteous social order that Christ would return to rule. This belief was popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The deterioration of world society since the first World War showed that humanity would never save itself.

B. Amillenialism, an inheritance from the Roman Catholic faith, holds that the church either on earth or in heaven is the kingdom referred to in Revelation 20:1- 6 so that there will be no future earthly kingdom. This interpretation disregards the clear teaching of the Bible by spiritualizing the meaning of the words. This belief is popular with the more liberal in theology who do not hold the infallibility of the Bible.

C. Premillenialism in its simplest form means that Christ returns before the kingdom is established on earth. This belief varies as follows:

1. Pretribulation - that Christ comes for His church before the Great Tribulation,

2. Mid-tribulation - that Christ comes for His church in the midst of the Great Tribulation,

3. Post-tribulation - that Christ comes for His church after the Great Tribulation.

II. The interpretation divides in reference to time as follows:

A. The Preterists limit the range of final prophecy as in Revelation to the 1st Century.

B. Historicalists relate the Revelation to the full sweep of history.

C. Futurists relate the final events in Revelation to the future.

III. The interpretation also divides on the basis of two interpretations:

1. Literal-that words mean what definition states.

2. Spiritual-that words have a secret meaning.

A. The interpretations must deal with several language forms:

1. Types, a predictive symbol of truth to be accomplished in the work of Jesus Christ, but which has an independent historical reality.

2. Metaphor, a declaration of identity based upon a point of similarity.

3. Allegory, the expansion of a series of metaphors into a narrative,

4. An object or event that connotes some matter of timeless significance.

5. Telescoping, the process by which a prophecy leaps from a near to a far without notice of that which intervenes.

6. Spiral, the process by which a prophecy is repeated but in a movement toward its final fulfillment.

7. Converging, the meeting of prophecies in a single segment of time.